The Todds, a mother-son duo, have created another fabulous protagonist, Bess Crawford, a WWI nurse whose upbringing is not that of a typical British upper class daughter. Colonel Crawford was stationed in India for Bess's childhood, and as result Bess is determined, honorable, and carries a strong sense of duty. In the first of the series, A Duty to the Dead, Bess is injured on the Britannica when it is struck and sunk in the Mediterranean Sea. Her brush with death spurs her to fulfill a commitment she made to a dying patient, Arthur Graham. She must deliver a cryptic message to one of his brothers, Jonanthan, in Kent. Once the message is delivered, Bess feels no sense of relief. The Graham's treat the message with apparent indifference. As she persists in her duty to Arthur, Bess finds herself embroiled in their family secrets that involve an insane, murderous, older brother. And for the first time, Bess's sense of duty places her in life threatening danger.
Bess's honor draws her into yet another dangerous situation in An Impartial Witness, the second novel in the Bess Crawford series. Returning to the front after delivering a seriously burned pilot, Lieutenant Evanson, to England for further treatment, Bess notices an obviously upset woman pleading with an indifferent soldier at the train station. His coolness is striking, but most shocking of all is the fact that the woman is Evanson's wife, Majorie. Bess is stunned when weeks later she sees a rough sketch of Marjorie in a newspaper. Majorie, disappeared the very day Bess saw her, and the police need information. Bess can't help herself, especially after the lieutenant slits his own throat, she begins her own search for the man at the train station, a man who may be the murder.
In A Bitter Truth, trouble literally lands on the doorstep of Bess's London home. Huddled against the freezing rain, a woman, Lydia Ellis, is bruised and terrified when Bess finds her. Tea, a night's rest, and Bess's comforting presence finally convince Lydia to reveal the story of the argument she had with her husband whose response was violence. Once the story is out, Lydia is ready to return home, and begs Bess to join her. In Sussex, at Vixen Hall, death is prominent for they are mourning Lydia's brother-in-law, Arthur, a recent victim of the war. The darkness of death soon takes the form of murder, David Hughes, a family friend is discovered dead the morning after he accidentally revealed a secret while drunk during dinner at Vixen Hall. A suspect in the case, Bess cannot leave until the true murderer is caught. So, she really can't help herself. Stuck, she launches her own inquiries that once again lead her into the sites of a killer.
Like their Ian Rutledge series, the Todd's have created a fascinating central character true to the time frame. Bess is not a modern woman dropped into the past, she is truly a determined woman from World War I. Her character, her intelligence and her upbringing gift her with the talents and strength to unravel the marvellous puzzles created by the Todds. The Bess Crawfrd series like the Rutledge series presents an in-depth and intriguing look at life in England during World War I.
Originally published 10/18/2011
No comments:
Post a Comment